Significance
by number1brawlfan
Summary: Everyone is born with a predestined tattoo at birth that will appear at some point of their lives. While everyone in the Bat Family has theirs, neither Dick nor Damian have awakened theirs and they don't know why. What will theirs be?
1. Fear

**I thought this would be a fun/interesting story to try. Now, I can't recall how I came up with idea at the moment, but it came up around the time I was writing Breaking You (around the second half or second third of the story). The basic premise is that each person has a predestined animal based tattoo that comes to life at some point in their lives (there will be a bit of an exception for one character). Dick and Damian's have yet to receive theirs.**

 **This story will focus mostly on the Bat Family (I would include Selina, and as obvious as her tattoo being a cat, I'm not sure which quality I would attribute it to). The only exceptions are Talia and Ra's. Mostly because of the fact that they're Damian's maternal family and Damian will bring them up when inquiring about his own. Also, I won't be focusing a chapter solely on Alfred, Steph, or Cass, but they will get a mention. Each Bat Family member's tattoo will basically be recalled via dialogue or flashback until I finally get to Damian and Dick's chapters. That's just so that there isn't just a story of just one.**

 **Here's what I plan to do as far as the explanation of the tattoos and their significance. Each chapter will be titled based on the trait the person's tattoo signifies. For example, this one is Fear (which you won't be able to see until I post the next chapter) and I'll explain why I chose what I did and its location at the end of the chapter.**

* * *

After a particularly chaotic night of patrol, Bruce could be found getting patched by Alfred. While helping apprehend Two Face and his men, Bruce had received a small gash from the gun of one of Two Face's henchmen. Thankfully it required only a few stitches. Dick was even luckier, having received little to no injury. A few scraps and bruises, but nothing too serious.

Patiently waiting on the other side of Bruce, eleven year old Dick kept a keen eye on his mentor and father figure. Rather than keeping his attention set on the injury, his sights were set on the image hovering above Bruce's heart.

"When did yours show up?" Dick blankly inquired.

"You're asking me this now?" Bruce responded, a little surprised by the question.

Dick had seen the bat tattoo on numerous occasions since his adoption, but never about when it came into existence. Quite frankly, he had never asked much about it before, outside of its symbolic significance. Fear, to which Dick wasn't too surprised about. He never investigated it much after that, not showing much interest in it after getting that question answered.

Bruce never approached it much after that either, wanting to give Dick the chance to do that on his own. He might not have seen it as that big of a deal, especially with people he was close with, but he knew that not everyone was like that. In his experience, not everyone is comfortable with talking about their tattoo's symbolism or their story. Asking about someone else's isn't always a comfortable thing either.

"Yeah." Dick sighed.

"Any particular reason why you're asking today?"

Dick would shrug his shoulders.

"Not really. Just curious."

Alfred and Bruce exchanged a quick glance before Alfred finished stitching Bruce's arm. Knowing that they both would feel more comfortable keeping this inquiry between them, Alfred excused himself. He didn't need to hear it again, and he knew it gave the situation the proper amount of privacy the topic needed.

Bruce sat up and scooted over a little, allowing Dick to take a seat beside him. Curling up a little, Dick was ready to listen to his story.

"I honestly expected you to ask this when you originally brought it up." Bruce admitted. "But since you didn't, I figured you'd ask when you were a little older and possible had your own."

"Well I'm curious now." Dick responded.

"I can accept that. Give me a moment to think about how I want to approach it."

"Did it show up when you became Batman?" Dick asked, not giving Bruce much time to think, in the hopes that he'd guide him in the right direction.

"No."

"When your parents died?"

"No."

"Then when?"

"When I was a child actually. Before my parents died."

Dick gave him a curious stare. Bruce would lightly cross his arms while he mentally recalled the incident.

"I used to be afraid of them as a child, and one night, about a month before my parents' demise, I had ended up in a cave full of them. For years I wonder why bats, and what it meant. At that age, the thought of it being fear was something I rejected. Mostly because, at that age, I associated it with _my_ fear of them rather than their dark stereotype. Plus, it hadn't appeared the few other times I was exposed to the creature. So I buried that theory. That's not to say that I wasn't curious to know what its significance was. My father wasn't sure at that point either, believing it could have symbolized superstition or, with this being Gotham, darkness. While my mother wanted to avoid the conversation until I was older, though I doubt she knew what to say. It wasn't until I was coming up with the idea of Batman that I fully associated it with fear. It didn't hurt that a bat flew into the study that night either."

Dick processed the explanation. His attention bounced between Bruce's mark and himself for a few moments. With no sign of his own mark, Dick had one other thing that he wanted to address.

"Why hasn't mine appeared yet?" Dick asked.

"Everyone gets theirs at different times." Bruce stated, shuffling slightly. "Alfred's didn't appear until his time working as an intelligence agent. Mine just happened to come when I was younger."

"Alright."

"Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

Dick shook his head. That was all Bruce needed. Pleased with his answer, Dick hopped off of the medical bench. A yawn would emerge from Dick as he made his way towards the stairwell.

"Are you okay?" Bruce inquired, getting off of the medical equipment.

"Yeah," Dick yawned, "just tired. Fighting Tow Face and his men wore me out, and I've got school tomorrow."

Bruce walked up beside him. The boy's exhaustion becoming more noticeable. Be it by the lighting in the cave or the story, Bruce could see the boy's eye beginning to sag. Whether Dick had been hiding his tiredness during the story or not, he wasn't sure. It didn't matter either way to Bruce, since he wanted to address Dick inquiry. However, he would have liked to have known sooner so that he could have gotten Dick comfortably in bed while telling him about it.

"Let me help you. You look like you won't make it out of the cave."

A hand would gently grace Dick's back as Bruce helped guide Dick towards the stairs. Getting the boy to his room was a slow journey, but they made it to the room without any drowsy conflicts.

Mustering up enough consciousness, Dick dragged himself into the bathroom to do brush his teeth. Dick would then get into his pajamas and forced himself to get into bed. Getting comfortable, he would pull the blanket up to his shoulder.

Bruce would peak into the room, figuring he was in bed. The steady rhythm of breathing could be seen rising and falling beneath the blankets.

"Good night." Bruce whispered, closing the door.

* * *

 **This one is pretty obvious. Bruce's whole Batman shtick is heavily based on fear, and what better tattoo than a bat. The reason it's on the heart is because of the idea of what fear can affect the heart. This chapter also took a little inspiration from Batman Year One and Batman Begins. The bat flying through the window for the former and Bruce being in a cave full of them for the latter.**


	2. Intellect

**Just so you know this story will mix elements from before and during the New 52. I say this because it kind of contributed to Tim's chapter coming before Jason's (I though about doing it in descending Robin order excluding Dick) as well as how it will effect Barbara and Jason's chapters. I'm mentioning this because Jason will be in the outlaws and Barbara is still Oracle and paralyzed. I know Babs got an experimental surgery in the New 52, but her chapter will be specifically based on her Oracle time. Also, there are two instances of tattoos being placed in not quite logical places which I will explain.**

 **This chapter takes place during Tim's Robin run and before Jason is alive/known that he's alive.**

* * *

Patrol had gone pretty well. Dick had decided to join in on Batman and Robin's venture and after apprehending the Penguin, they all huddled in the Batcave. Dick had praised Tim's efforts for his Robin work all the way home, applauding him for how well he handled another crime filled night. Tim, on the other hand, was a little

Dick and Tim were comfortably sitting at a table over a late night snack. An empty bowl of cereal sat between them as Tim sipped down some coffee while leaving the remnants of a sandwich in front of him. While it wasn't something that Dick was fond of at this particular time of night, he knew Tim wouldn't listen to him. Not to mention the finals Tim insisted pulling an all-nighter to study for. It was going to be a long night, but Dick was going to make the most of it.

"So, a dolphin?" Dick inquired.

"Huh?" Tim responded before contemplating the statement. "Yeah."

"It makes sense. They're intelligent, friendly, and instinctual. All of which fit you. Though if I had to guess it's the intelligence that it represents in your case."

"Indeed."

A hand would awkwardly run up Tim's right rib cage.

"If you don't mind me asking, when did yours show up?"

Knowing that Tim had his wasn't a big deal, having seen it more than once when Alfred had to stitch him up. However, he was still curious as to how Tim got it. Especially since he was still at a standstill with his own.

Tim was well aware of the situation, something Alfred had mentioned in passing during the final stage of Bruce and Dick's falling out. There was no ill will in Dick's question, even if Tim felt slightly uncomfortable by it. Crossing his hands in front of him, Tim began to recall the tale.

 _It was a day Tim wasn't going to forget. He and his parents had finally gotten the chance to see one of the Flying Graysons' shows live. Not only that but they had gotten to meet the Graysons in person._

 _The family was overall kind and friendly. Tim kicked it off with Dick pretty well. The two acting as though they were the best of friends. Dick would even give Tim the chance to see his quadruple summersault up close._

 _It was a wonderful encounter for the whole family. They had even gotten a photo with the acrobats._

 _Unfortunately, the day would not stay pleasant as loose equipment would prescribe. This show would be the last for the Graysons as John and Mary would fall to their deaths. The sudden tragedy was a shock to everyone. It left Dick orphaned and that only damaged the scene more._

 _That was the biggest reason that it was a day to remember. The other was what Tim noticed before bed. Running up the side of his ribcage was a dim outline of a creature. Assuming he was either seeing things or the off chance that his tattoo had started to form were pushed aside by his own exhaustion._

 _Several months later, he would catch the most recent footage of Batman. He was helping to stop the Joker's latest scheme. However, that was not the only thing to be shown. For the first time ever, the news station had caught Batman's freshly indoctrinated protégé, Robin._

 _Tim was genuinely excited by the display. For weeks he had heard about Batman's sidekick and couldn't wait for the moment he could get a clear shot of the colorfully clad Boy Wonder, as he had been dubbed. Now that he had, Tim was ecstatic._

 _What really peaked his interest, was a move the cameraman managed to capture: a quadruple summersault. In that moment, Tim knew who Robin was. He knew only one person knew that move. That being Dick Grayson. And if Robin was Dick Grayson, Tim could guess who Batman was. None other than Bruce Wayne himself, who coincidentally adopted Dick after the death of his parents._

 _He would never tell his parents this, knowing that it had to remain a secret. At the same time, he would have to hide another revelation he noticed not to long after. The faded mark on his ribcage gained more color and texture. The frame of an aquatic creature became more defined, enough for him to make out the some kind of dolphin. It wasn't completely finished yet from what he could assume, but it was getting closer._

 _It wouldn't be for a few years before the tattoo was completed. After the death of the second Robin, Jason Todd, Tim eventually found himself in the caverns of the Batcave. Since first taking on Dick Grayson as Robin, Batman and Robin had become synonymous with each other. Batman needed Robin. With Jason being dead, and Batman in a state of violent grief, he needed Robin now more than ever._

 _Batman was reluctant at first, which was not something Tim could complain about. The death of Jason weighing heavily on him was understandable. However, after an unofficial test run and one Batman approved mission, Tim was granted the title of Robin._

 _Once he accepted it, Tim could feel a numbness to his side. Looking at the source, he found that his tattoo had finally come to fruition. The image bottle nosed dolphin, jumping upright, became clear._

"That's interesting." Dick observed. "I've never heard of one appearing in stages before."

"It doesn't happen that much," Tim confirmed, "but that's what happened."

There was a brief pause as Dick processed Tim's story.

"So I have a question for you." Tim admitted. "I know you don't have one yet, Bruce's is a bat, and Jason's has yet to be confirmed, but I just have to ask. What is Alfred's?"

Dick didn't answer for a moment pondering the question.

"I don't know a lot about it, but I believe it's a dog. Though where it is and when it showed up is a mystery to me."

"It's the head of a border collie on the center of the palm of his hand." Bruce interjected, a cup of coffee in his hand. "Showed up before he served time in the SAS and it symbolizes loyalty."

Dick and Tim shot Bruce a puzzled glare.

"What? You may not ask, so you don't come off as invasive, but do you really think I wouldn't know? Alfred practically raised me, not to mention I was five when I asked him."

* * *

 **Here's the first of the non conventionally placed tattoos. Tim's was a dolphin because he's known for being the smart Robin and generally being intelligent. I know Tim had other qualities, which is why I had Dick jab at the friendly and instinctual aspects (which were traits/symbols of dolphins) and I figured I would have his progress over time in accordance with him finding out about Batman and Robin. The reason I went with the rib cage was because 1) I won't be placing tattoos any where on the face or head 2) the right side of the body has been associated with the left side of the brain (the side where intelligence/analytical thought lies) and 3) the right lung is what oxidizes the blood for the body.**

 **Alfred's is a lot simpler. his represents loyalty and dog's are just that. It's on the hand since he's a bit of a "helping hand" and I chose a Border Collie because they originate from the England/UK area and are also intelligent (which Alfred is considering he has medical training and all).**


	3. Strength

**Now this chapter will kind take elements from the New 52's Red Hood and the Outlaws run (specifically Starfire and Roy being part of the Outlaws with Jason). This will also reference a little bit from prior to the New 52 as well, and will focus on the origin of the tattoo phenomenon. I also bent my No one but the BatFamily, Ra's and Talia for this chapter just a little for three reasons 1) This chapter explaining the history of the tattoos to a non-Earthiling (Starfire) 2) Roy being part of the conversation and 3) there was at least two characters that I thought should be addressed since they are explaining it to Starfire. After this, not again.**

 **For this chapter, I will be referring to Starfire as Kori (short for Koriand'r in case you were wondering) since this chapter is just between them.**

* * *

A pained hiss escaped Jason as another stitch entered his side. It had started off as a simple enough task. A monstrosity of an experiment that had been unleashed in a neighboring city of Metropolis, a secretly funded creation of Lex Luthor from what they were able to deduce, and it needed to be handled. It was a stroke of luck that they happened to be in town, and Roy managed to talk them into stopping it.

At the end of the encounter, which had taken a detoured in a nearby field, everyone needed some medical treatment. Kori needed minimal patching up with a bandage placed on the bridge of her nose and left shoulder. With Roy patched up, Starfire correctly addressed a gash that Jason had received during the battle. With no remnants of his shirt in sight, she correctly administered the treatment on his Jason's ribcage.

"I don't understand it." She blurted out.

"Don't understand what?" Jason inquired.

"These tattoos."

Kori gently ran her hand over Jason's bicep. Her hands traced along an orange Siberian Tiger that looked as though it was walking toward her. Its determined blue eyes staring into her soul.

"As well as why Earthlings have them."

Her confused curiosity was understandable. Given the fact she wasn't from Earth, being a resident of Tamaran since birth, she was still getting used to Earth's customs. Though given the fact she had been on the planet for a few years now, Jason was a little puzzled as to why she was asking this now. However, he knew he should just address it since she was asking about it.

"Well, they are meant to represent one of our strongest trait, be it a physical, mental, psychological, or emotional one." Jason began. "For example, my strongest trait is my strength. As you can see, it is symbolically represented by the tiger on my bicep. As to why humans have them, it's kind of a complicated matter. It's said that thousands of years ago, an enchantress bestowing these tattoos on humans as either a gift or curse. The problem is, it hasn't been confirmed whether it's one or the other as any documentation on it has either been destroyed, subject to translation issues, or incompletion."

Kori didn't offer a rebuttal, taking in his story as she returned her sights to his injury. After a few moments she would set aside her equipment, allowing Jason to study her handiwork.

"That's very interesting and that does clear up my confusion." Starfire admitted. "However, it is still a very strange custom."

"I don't disagree, but it's our strange little custom."

"True." Roy intruded. "Here, let me show you mine."

Removing one of his long the fingerless glove from his arm, Roy sat between the two. Pointing to the area just shy of where his forearm and bicep met, two turtledoves appeared to dance. A fascinated stare graced Starfire's face as she studied the image.

"It's a symbol of friendship." Roy clarified before starting to put his glove back on. "Over the years, I met lots of people and created multiply friendships. With all that I've been through I've come to realize that I have never truly been alone. To be honest I thought it would be something different, a hawk because of my sharp eye as an archer or a bear that, in one instance, is said to represent healing given my past. However, I can see why I got what I got. The Titans and you guys. I've been able to make friends easy and there's always been someone there for me even when I didn't appreciate it."

"Interesting." Kori noted.

She was silent for a moment. A stare of contemplation gazed at the ground between them.

"Dick does not have his."

A shocked glance shot at her as a mix of surprise and intrigue drenched Jason's face. With her saying that, he began to realize why she may not have been too familiar with it. Roy, on the other hand, remained unchanged, noting where the statement was heading.

"Really?" Jason inquired. "You'd figure with all of his life experiences, he would have awakened his by now."

"Trust me, I looked everywhere, and I haven't seen anything."

Both Roy and Jason's faces went a deep shade of red at the statement, a little embarrassed about her observation and its implications. There was no getting around how blunt Kori could be at times, intentional or not, but it didn't make the situation any less awkward.

"Well some people are late bloomers." Roy admitted, awkwardly chuckling and rubbing the back of his head. "Mine didn't show up until about three years ago after my _recreational_ stint."

"That maybe, but still, it's a little odd." Jason admitted. "Mine appeared moments before I arrived at my final resting place."

"Okay." Kori accepted. "Now my next question is, what about Garfield or Cyborg? Neither of them are what we'd consider _normal_ human beings."

Roy took over. Having enough experience with both, he felt more suited to address the two of them.

"Cyborg's had been removed after his accident." Roy recalled. "If I recall correctly, he said it was a boar on his left shoulder. It's a symbol of vigilance, which isn't much of a surprise given what he's been through."

"True."

"Gar, on the other hand, will probably never see his come to life since he was experimented on in the way that he was. Not that it should matter since he can turn into whatever animal he wants to."

"That makes sense."

"And that will conclude our lesson for today." Jason concluded, as Kori and Roy's attention fell on him.

A sore hiss got away from Jason as he stood up and progressively put his shirt and jacket back on.

"It's getting late, and we have to get back to the base. We've got to get rested before our next freelance mission."

Roy and Kori joined him, standing up. With everyone ready, they departed from the city.

* * *

 **I know I thought about using a wolf for Jason but I decided to use a tiger instead. It representing his (physical) strength which is placed on his bicep. I chose that since, like Tim being considered as the "smart" Robin, Jason is kind of considered at the "strong" Robin (as well as the Robin who can do what Batman can't/won't do, but I digress). This was also something Cass kind of referenced in Batman and Robin Eternal. When looking up other symbols for a tiger some I came across were overcoming obstacles/fear, effectively handling strong emotions, danger, vengeance and punishment. All of whcih can relate to Jason (though I'll admit that there are times where Jason has strong strong emotions).**

 **Now for Roy, I was trying to finding something that wouldn't overlap with anyone else's tattoo symbol (i.e. Fear, Intelligence and Strength as of this chapter and what I have planned for the others). The reason I went with two turtledoves was because of how there are people who care for him and how he is a good friend to others (Jason in the New 52 stuff as well as his time with the Titans). They represent friendship and love which I felt worked for him. I did look up Roy's original thoughts too. with the bear, I did find one thing saying that one Native American symbol for bear was healing (which would have represented his recovery from his addictions, however that did affect the placement of the turtle doves).**

 **Beast Boy and CYborg were the main reason for my disclaimer at the beginning of the chapter. I knew that Roy probably wouldn't cause a problem, but I knew there would be exceptions in this universe. It was only going to be Beast Boy originally as well, but then I had to equate Cyborg too. The reason Beast Boy was an exception is because of how his DNA had been tampered with when he was given the serum to cure his sickness. As such, he would be unable to develop his. I decided that Cyborg would have his, since he had time to develop it prior to his accident. And yes, one thing the boar symbolizes is vigilance which suits how he had to be vigilant towards and overcome the struggles from his accident.**


	4. Survivor

**Now we're onto Barbara. This is also where Cass and Stephanie get a mention. This chapter ended up a little shorter than I initially thought, but I hope you like it.**

* * *

Boxes of Chinese carryout and study guides scattered over the living room coffee table. Barbara had invited Dick over for a study date and they were trying to make the most of it. Dick was sprawled on the floor as Barbara nibbled on the rest of the vegetable fried rice.

"You know, considering your dad's the commissioner and our late night escapades, I would have thought you wanted to stray away from criminal law." Dick admitted, scanning through a set of notes.

"Says the guy who became a vigilante to get out of a certain bat shaped shadow." Barbara jabbed, setting the carton down. "Besides, weren't you a cop?"

"Yeah for two years, and do you know how paranoid Bruce was during that whole ordeal?"

"Very if I had to guess."

"You'd be right. And while not that far off from Batman, becoming Nightwing was my rite of passage into adulthood. Plus, Supes gave me a small push."

"Fair enough."

She wheeled around the table to get closer to Dick.

"I've just always had an interest in crime even before becoming Batgirl. My dad may contributed to my interest in it. Plus, this is Gotham and I would do whatever I can to help this city out."

Dick nodded, understanding the sentiment.

"That's very admirable."

Barbara grinned at his statement. The sound of a door opening and closing interrupted their moment. Their attention turned towards the kitchen area as Cass entered the room. She was in her civilian clothes with a backpack, no doubt holding her uniform, slung over her shoulder.

"Hey Cass." Dick greeted. "Long time no see."

Cass nodded, silently greeting him.

"Did you have fun on patrol?" Barbara asked.

Cass nodded again. She sent a few signs in Barbara's direction. She wanted a moment to talk with Barbara alone.

"We're just about done, so I'll be there in a moment."

Cass turned her attention elsewhere as she made her way towards her bedroom.

"Good night." Dick wished.

There wasn't a response as she closed the door behind her.

"She doesn't seem too fond of me, does she?" Dick pouted.

"She is." Barbara admitted. "She's told me how she thinks you're admirable and have a good moral compass. Even if she does find your optimism insufferable at times."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She just a little withdrawn some nights."

There was a moment of silence as Barbara took a sip of her water.

"She mentioned her tattoo today."

"Did she?"

"Yeah. She was just curious about some others given hers is a scorpion, a symbol of danger, wrapped around her forearm."

"You don't say?"

Barbara gave him a confirming nod.

"I want to make her more comfortable around others, so I told her mine and Steph's."

"Steph's is a skunk if I'm not mistaken."

"On her left calf. It represents a warning. And well, you already know mine."

"A turtle."

Dick's attention shifted to Barbara's abdomen. His mind started to wander.

 _Barbara had been in the hospital for a few days and the news of her being unable to walk had finally set in. Since the bucket had been surgically removed, the doctors had demanded that she stay for a few days of observation. Friends and family had periodically came to visit. Even Bruce had visited both as Batman and as Bruce. He provided whatever comfort and reassurance he could._

 _The only person who had yet to see her was Dick. He had been otherwise engaged with off world Titans business when she had gotten shot. Even though she had her own concerns for her wellbeing, he could only imagine what Dick could be going through when he found out._

" _Barbara!" Dick gasped, bolting into the room._

 _He immediately approached Barbara's bedside, giving her an embrace. She could feel him anxiously shaking as she returned the gesture. He wasn't taking it well and it worried her._

" _I'm so sorry."_

" _It's okay." Barbara comforted, lightly patting Dick on the back. "It's going to be okay."_

" _No it's not. You got shot Babs. I should have been there."_

" _There's nothing you could have done. I was at home when it happened. It happened so fast that no one saw it coming."_

 _Silence hit the room. Dick's embrace would release Barbara, which troubled her a little._

" _I knew something didn't feel right when we left for that mission. I shouldn't have gone, especially after the last time. I'm so stupid."_

" _Hey!"_

 _Releasing Dick, she allowed enough space between them to get a good look at him. Guilt and a pinch of fear covered his sapphire blue eyes._

" _You're not stupid. You had a job to do, and again, no one saw it coming. You didn't fail me."_

 _His expression didn't change much, but it seemed like what she said might have gotten through._

" _Here, I want to show you something."_

 _Diverting his attention towards where the bullet entered, she showed him a rather intriguing image. Entangled with the stitches was a green sea turtle. Shock and confusion took over as his attention bounced between the tattoo and Barbara's face._

" _Apparently it was there when they brought me in." Barbara noted._

" _What do you think it means." Dick investigated. "And why now?"_

" _I don't know, but maybe this was meant to happen."_

"You were released from the hospital a few days later," Dick recalled, making his way for the door, "and after a few months of therapy, both physical and psychological, you returned to crime fighting as Oracle."

"And here I am years later." Barbara added, following him. "Surviving."

"Indeed, but I do still feel bad for not being there."

"You had a responsibility, and you didn't know. Just like you didn't know that Jason died. What matters now is that we're both here now and we're both alive."

"True. Well I'll see you later, alright?"

"You bet. Have fun on patrol Goldie and don't do anything too stupid."

A playful grin escaped Dick.

"Come on, it's me."

"That's what worries me."

Dick chuckled as he made his way down the hallway.

"Good night Barb."

"Good night."

Closing the door, Barbara rolled down to Cass' room.

* * *

 **I'll address Steph and Cass first. The reason I chose a scorpian for Cass is because I wanted to give her something that reflected her heritage (being Lady Sheva's daughter) as well as being a "silent" assassin. Plus one thing they represent is (potential) danger, which she could be to a degree. Steph's reflected her Spoiler persona as she chose that because she'd be "spoiling" her dad's plans and what better animal than a skunk. Apparently if you dream about a skunks smell it's a warning or something, which works with her giving Batman and Robin a heads up about her father. Steph's was also the second one who's placing doesn't make as much sense.**

 **Now Barbara I battled between three ideas, a butterfly for a transformation, a turtle for survivor (because of their longevity), and an anole lizard (the lizards known for growing their tails back) for adaptability. I ultimately decided the turtle and survival because of the context of how she got it (that being her paralysis at the hands of the Joker) and how she survived, overcame it and ultimately became Oracle.**


	5. Twisted Romance

**On to Talia. With this chapter I figured I'd have Damian be a little snippy about Dick inquiring about his mothers. That way there's at least one example of someone not being comfortable about the topic (even though it's technically in regards to Damian's mother).**

 **Also, for the guest reviewer who asked about if Jason knew about Dick back in chapter 3 (I forgot to answer your question in the last chapter), he may have been a little uncertain. With Dick and Bruce's relationship being a bit strained during his Robin tenure, it might not have been something he was too familiar with. And if it did, Jason assumed that it would have showed up while he was dead.**

* * *

Sweat drenched the tips of Damian's hair. Determined panting flew as he reevaluated his form. Across from him was Dick, who was starting to feel the effects of their training. Escrima sticks were defensively placed as he waited for Damian's next move.

Lunging at Dick, Damian would throw a series of punches at him. While a few hits would get in, Dick would deflect several other punches. When an opening presented itself, Dick would jab Damian in the stomach. It was enough to knock him back a few steps, but it wasn't enough to stop Damian. He would change his fighting style, attempting to use his smaller size to maneuver around Dick's attacks.

It wasn't until a foot sent him flying that Damian stopped. He slid across the floor, only to stay down once he stopped.

"Why don't we call it a day?" Dick admitted, offering Damian a hand.

"Alright." Damian groaned, grabbing Dick's hand.

Dick helped pull Damian to his feet. Damian would knock what little dust he managed to collect on his uniform before heading up the stairs with Dick. With no school or other responsibilities, they had been training for a good chunk of the morning. However, they were due for a break and with both of them burning off breakfast and then some, they deserved lunch.

"I just don't get it." Damian stated, taking a bite of mac and cheese. "Given my heritage, I should have gotten mine by now."

"I wouldn't worry too much." Dick admitted, taking a seat across from him. "You're still young."

"But father got his when he was younger than I am, and even Drake has his."

"Well there's still time. I don't have mine yet and I'm older than you."

Damian shot him an annoyed glare.

"You're not exactly what I'd consider a model example Grayson. No one seems to know why, or for that matter worry that yours isn't there. Not to mention you're just weird."

A hand would dramatically fly over Dick's chest. He almost looked genuinely offended.

"You wound me."

A playful grin shot at Damian who was less than impressed by his dramatics. He rolled his eyes before turning his focus to the half empty bowl in front of him.

"My own mother even had hers at my age."

Dick finished chewing what was in his mouth before continuing the conversation. He was a little curious that he brought his mother into it.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is your mother's tattoo? I know I've known her for years now, but Bruce was the only one to really ever get up close and personal with her."

Damian was a little irked with the inquiry. He knew Dick didn't mean anything by it, but the fact that he asked was rather bothersome.

"What does it matter?" Damian snapped.

Dick felt a little hurt by his tone, going quiet. Having talked to people who were a little more comfortable talking about it, made him forget that not everyone is so open about it. And even though this was about Talia, he realized that he probably shouldn't have asked. Especially when it was her son that he was questioning.

Damian took note of this shift and felt a little bad for snapping at Dick. He knew that Dick was curious given his predicament, but it was a topic that he normally like getting detailed about. While he could admit that he cared for his mother and grandfather, he was still getting used to the dynamic between them and his father and wanted to leave certain details under wraps. Sighing, he knew he had to say something.

"A black widow on her neck." Damian sighed. "I'm not exactly sure why, but something tells me it has to do with either my father or something more sinister."

Dick was satisfied with the answer for the time being.

"I see."

They finished lunch in silence. They would part ways after finishing, as Damian went off on his own. Dick would start the dishes, both out of the habit of living alone and to help lighten Alfred's workload.

Sometime later Dick found himself in the study. With Damian keeping himself preoccupied, Dick was skimming through a book. Heaver footsteps could be heard entering the room, partially stealing Dick's attention. Peeking out from the top of the book, he noticed Bruce sitting across from him. Hiding his face behind the book wasn't going to do anything now. The slightly stern expression on Bruce's face was enough to imply why he was there.

"You know you could have asked me, right?" Bruce blatantly noted. "It would have went over a little smoother."

"I know." Dick sighted, setting the book down. "We just started talking about the topic because Damian was complaining about it, and I assumed it wasn't going to be _that_ big of a deal."

"Which it was."

Dick knew that there was no denying that. Not wanting to agree with Bruce, he didn't vocally admit to it, moving on.

"It's just, I thought that it would have been more awkward to inquire about your crazy ex-girlfriend, even if she just so happens to be the mother to your child. At least with Damian it shouldn't have been as uncomfortable, given he's relationship with her wasn't as strained up until we took him in. Or at least that's what I thought."

Bruce decided to redirect the focus of the conversation. There was one thought that he wished to go back to. The memory of Dick's less than interested curiosity for the topic in his childhood was still fresh in his mind.

"What happened to you not caring as much? You never cared as much when you were younger. Nor did you like getting overly personal with it."

"Age and the one that I'm still lacking."

"And how many times have we told you not to worry?"

"I don't know. I kind of stopped counting after a while. I just want to know everyone's story so that maybe I'll find someone like me."

A hand landed on Dick's shoulder. Even though the grip itself was an indifferent one, an understanding expression greeted Dick.

"Look, I know this troubles you. Without your parents as a reference or any other case like yours readily available, it can be a little aggravating. I also know you're a little envious of the others too. However, you've got to take a step back from it, because as of right now, all you can do is wait. Investigating everyone in your inner circle is not going to make you feel any better."

* * *

 **Originally my thought with Talia's tattoo was that it was meant to signify manipulation (female** **black widows kind of use the males before disposing of them and while she may have loved Bruce, she did kind of use him for a child. No offense to Damian). However, when looking up things that black widows symbolize/represent it said how they could be a sign of a strained/uncertain relationship, which hits her and her relationship with Bruce a lot better. It's on the neck because I felt that that's a common place for a spider tattoo (the ankle and wrist probably being others). Plus given that the jugular is there and black widows are deadly (much like how Talia shouldn't be taken lightly) its placing could be looked at from that angle too.**


	6. Immortality

**For this chapter, I decided to approach Ra's' tattoo a little different. At least considering how Damian knows about Ra's'. i took a little inspiration from Talia's whole "trial" thing in order for Damian to find out who his father was. However, in this case, I had Ra's use the disposal of someone for him to tell Damian about his. It's also worth mentioning that Ra's' tattoo is a little obscure which I'll get into at the end of the chapter.**

 **And if you've been following my poll, I did close it. The winning oneshot misadventure is the Batfamily "interrogating" Dick about why he has Deathstroke/Slade Wilson's phone number.**

* * *

Having just parted way with patrol, Bruce, Damian, and Dick took a breather in the Batcave. They had just stopped another of Ra's' schemes, however, Ra's had managed to avoid capture. Not an uncommon occurrence, but still one they wished they could have avoided. The fact that they had returned with minimal injuries was a plus.

Dick decided to retire for the night, wanting to take a shower and call Roy before hitting the hay. All the while, Bruce was finishing up his report with Damian lurking beside him.

"We probably won't be seeing him for a while." Damian noted.

"Don't sound so disappointed." Bruce sarcastically sighed.

"He'll be back. He always does."

Bruce nodded, continuing his work. Once completed, Bruce turned the chair around, facing Damian.

"You sure you're alright? He really went at you tonight."

"I'm fine. He's dealt out worse."

"That doesn't surprise me."

Bruce got up, marking the end of the night. Heading his way for the exit, Damian would trot alongside him. A neutral expression welcomed Damian as he contemplated something.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"You've known my grandfather for a while now. Have you ever wondered why he's had such a peculiar mark?"

Bruce paused, giving Damian his undivided attention.

"What do you mean?"

"He has a tattoo of a phoenix around his Achilles' Tendon."

Bruce was a little puzzled by Damian's observation. How he categorized Ra's' tattoo was unheard of. Things like phoenixes and dragons have never been heard of, or at the very least recorded. Not to mention that Bruce never got around to figuring it out.

"You know, I've never taken the time to look into it. Quite frankly, even with all the time I spent with Ra's in the past, I never once thought about finding out. Is it safe to assume that you bring this up because you want to talk about your family, and you're fine with me asking something about it? I only ask because of how you responded to Dick's curiosity the other day."

"Of course. Grayson may mean well, but there are things that I'd much rather avoid talking to him about."

Bruce could understand that. Considering he was more involved with the al Ghuls than anyone else in their unusual family, he could understand how Damian felt a little more comfortable talking to him about the topic.

"Alright. Well since you've asked, do you mind if I rebuttal by asking how did you find out?"

Damian didn't mind that his father asked that. Having just admitted that he didn't know, it only made sense to explain to his father how he found out.

"Let's just said it didn't come to me without a casualty. Grandfather's orders."

 _Ra's had decided to personally take over Damian's training for the next several weeks. Mixing in a combination of lecture and physical combat, he wanted to make sure that Damian was well rounded._

 _Ra's called the training season to an end, having spent a good portion of the morning dedicated to it. Now, he could dissect the training as well as his thoughts._

 _"Your form needs work." Ra's noted. "This form requires your footing to be more flexible. However, you are doing better than last time."_

 _"Thank you grandfather." Damian replied, bowing his head out of respect._

 _Damian only gave his grandfather a neutral yet inquisitive glare. It was unusual enough to peak Ra's' curiosity._

 _"Something troubling you?"_

 _"What's your symbol?" Damian bluntly questioned._

 _Ra's didn't react to the question. Damian had not shown an interest on the matter of tattoos, so his inquiry was a little odd._

 _"Why the sudden curiosity?"_

 _"Mother told me hers so I thought I would ask. If you don't mind that is."_

 _Ra's wasn't too surprised by the statement, since as far as he was concerned, it was probably a small step in to Talia revealing who the boy's father was. Taking a little inspiration from it, Ra's decided to address the situation in a different way._

 _"When is your next tutor supposed to come in?"_

 _"Next week."_

 _"Topic?"_

 _"Weaponry."_

 _"Is it the Greek weapon specialist?"_

 _Damian nodded. A scheming smirk formed as Ra's lead the way out of the training hall._

 _"It would be a shame if he had an accident during training. Not that I've cared for his presence much as of late."_

 _Picking up on his implication, Damian simply nodded. Tutors were pretty expendable when they've worn out their welcome. However, it was typically Talia who delivered the final notice. Damian could only assume that his grandfather thought he was capable enough to take this particular tutor down._

 _Taking the tutor down proved more difficult than Damian thought. What started off as a simple accident ploy, involving Damian 'accidentally' impaling the tutor with his blade, soon turned unto a game of cat and mouse. Once the tutor realized what Damian was trying to do, he went into a rage and began to attack him._

 _Damian had begun to notice just how grand of a weapons specialist the tutor really was. While he recognized a number of his moves, there were some that he was unfamiliar with. In order to accommodate for these moves, Damian made sure to keep his distance all the while trying to figure out a strategy to end him._

 _After several minutes of evading and attempting to get a few hits in, Damian would find an opening. A misplaced shuffle in the tutor's footing allowed Damian to knock the tutor over. With the tutor slightly disoriented, Damian would start knocking the tutor around. Once the tutor fell to the ground, Damian's sword would dangle on top of the tutor's throat. The tutor didn't bother moving, knowing the risk. His expression was a serious one, letting Damian know that he accepted his fate. Using one swift swipe, Damian carved into both of the man's jugular veins. He would then watch as the man bleed to death._

"After that grandfather brought me to a Lazarus Pit, wanting to use it as a back drop." Damian recalled. "He then told me that his was a phoenix, showing it to me when I asked about its location. He never told me why, quite frankly I wonder if even he knew."

"Knowing Ra's, he might." Bruce noted. "However, he's not one for exposing all of his secrets."

"True. If you had to guess, why do you think his is a phoenix?"

Bruce thought for a moment. Thinking up at least one hypothesis could prove useful.

"Maybe when this while ordeal happened, there were a select few people who had them," Bruce began, "and maybe they erased all evidence of them because of their 'abnormality.'"

"Why do you think he would be one of those 'abnormalities'?"

"Ra's may not be as old as the origin of these tattoos, but considering his longevity and forced immortality, it wouldn't be a surprise. Does that help clarify your confusion?"

"For the most part. Thank you father."

Damian would turn his attention away from Bruce and make his way down the hall.

* * *

 **First things first, the reason I had Damian kill a Greek weapons expert is because of the fact that phoenixes originate in Greek mythology. And yes, technically, Jason and TIm have experience with the al Ghul's, but I do feel that Damian would be more comfortable with talking with Bruce about them considering Bruce's long history with them.**

 **Now I have two reasons for choosing a phoenix. The first being how their an example of revival/immortality as a phoenix rises from the ashes (kind of like how Ra's has revived and lived for as long as he does because of the Lazarus Pit), which is also why I didn't use a dragon either. The second was the fact that I originally gave a snake to Cass. When I was jotting down everyone's tattoos and their significance, I originally gave Cass a Black Mamba curling aroubd her arm and I wanted to give everyone a different animal. Granted, on a grander scale, there could be overlap in regards to both animal and symbolism, but I wanted to give everyone something different. And unlike say different kinds of birds, domestic/wild dogs, and/or wild/domestic cats, you can't get much difference in symoblism, unless it was something like *insert venomous snake*= deadly/toxic, *insert constrictor*= suffocation or something to that effect, or *insert snake*= Sly/sneaky. I did end up changing Cass', but I wanted to keep Ra's' the same. And the reason I choose the Achilles Tendon is because of that being a weak point (given an arrow to that area killed Achilles), even though Ra's can be revived.**


	7. Rebirth

**I'm admitting now that I've kind of tweaked the canon. In order to incorporate what I had in mind for Damian's tattoo (it's meaning) I decided to go with it occurring after his death (this was also something a guest reviewer was wondered, and I thought that it would work). However, since Dick was a member of Spyral (because of the events of Forever Evil) when Damian was revived. So for the sake of this story, Damian's revival will occur before Forever Evil and before Dick left.**

* * *

His revival was a long awaited ordeal. After all of the chaos of retrieving Damian's body from Ra's and subsequently from Darkseid, a wave of relief and joy filled the Wayne household. Bruce could finally rest easy and Dick, though relieved, couldn't help but feel a little guilt about not preventing his death. Damian refused to allow him to dwell on it, providing the necessary forgiveness, and reassuring that it wasn't his fault. Damian let Dick know that he did what he felt was right. With Dick being knocked aside during the scuffle, there was no way he could have known what would happen. Neither of them knew, nor did they plan for it to end in Damian's death.

Damian went through a series of evaluations in order to get an idea of where he was at. Physically, he was fine, if not stronger than ever, but mentally and emotionally was a separate concern. Having died, and promptly brought back to life, they could only wonder how damaged his psyche was. After their experience with Jason and the early stages of his revival, Bruce wanted to make sure he got the proper help as soon as possible. It was especially beneficial given Damian had several sever panic attack as of a result of the situation.

Patrol was also well monitored when Damian went out. Bruce didn't want to strain him right after coming back to life, regardless of whether Damian good health or not. Bruce also wanted to keep an eye out for any unusual side effects of the Lazarus Pit. Even with him having half of the al Ghul bloodline, there was still a chance that there could be side effects.

After several day, Bruce was thankful that there weren't any lasting effect. Any effects from the Lazarus Pit was nipped in the first few days, with his physical heath being one of the restoring factors of it. Psychologically, Damian showed signs of improvement. When he found himself having an issue, he went to his father or Dick. Jason had even offered assistance, knowing what he had been through, if Damian needed it.

While he felt like it was a little overbearing, Damian appreciated their concerns. His death affected everyone, and who was he to tell them how they should respond. It was an unusual experience for him on a personal level, but he couldn't complain.

* * *

Another week would go by and everything had finally appeared to be back to normal. Damian was back to his old self. He and Tim were back to their conflicting viewpoints, and his father was back to his more level headed self. Even Dick made the usual effort to stay involved, and then some. At the same time, he made sure to give Damian his space.

Waiting within the walls of the Batcave, Dick waited for Bruce to return from patrol. As much as he would have loved to have gone with them, he knew that they deserved to go on patrol on their own, as father and son. Instead, he decided to do some routine surveillance while he waited. The night proved to be rather quiet outside of the case that Batman and Robin were working on.

The sound of the Batmobile would snap him out of his train of thought. It didn't take long for it to park and they promptly exited. For how Damian was interacting with Bruce, he could tell that patrol had gone well.

"Criminals sure got cocky while I was away." Damian proudly noted, removing his mask. "That or they just got dumber."

"Well it's not every day that Robin returns from the grave." Bruce admitted, his cowl already down.

"True."

"It's got to feel great though." Dick observed, approaching them. "Being back in the swing of things."

"Of course it does. Being back is wonderful, if a little problematic given the circumstances."

"Understandable."

"How was surveillance?" Bruce inquired.

"Quiet outside of Selena's stray cat clawing and meowing at her door. Went on for a good ten minutes before Selena got it food."

"Boring." Damian yawned.

"Agreed."

"But you are right about one thing, I'm just glad to be back. Being with the both of you has been a pleasure, even if I don't always agree with you."

A tingle on the bottom of his right wrist startled Damian. Looking down at it he stared at it for a moment. Bruce and Dick did the same, curious about what caught his attention. Another tingle surged through the area, prompting him to remove his glove. He couldn't get it off quick enough, as it flew off of his wrist.

What lied just over the veins shocked all of them, immediately processing what had just occurred. A red breasted robin hovered just below the palm of Damian's hand. It was calmly standing in place with its sierra, crimson, onyx, and gold coloring proudly shining. Two pail petals brushed in front of the bird as though a breeze had blown through. Damian's tattoo had finally came to life.

No one immediately responded. There was a mixed bag of expressions between the three of them. Dick was shocked. Bruce appeared intrigued. All the while Damian was curiously confused.

"No way." Dick gasped, both hands hovering over his mouth.

"Not quite what I expected." Damian admitted, observing the tattoo. "I expected something a little more proud."

"I didn't." Bruce argued. "If you ask me, I find this more symbolic."

Damian gave Bruce a puzzled look, unsure as to what his father could be referring to.

"What do you mean?"

Bruce kept an eye on the tattoo. One hand would lightly place itself beneath the newly developed symbol, emphasizing it.

"A lot has happened since I've taken you in. We've gotten to know you, understanding what you've been through to the best of our ability. You've also been able to experience a life outside of the League of Assassins. Changes have happened, and maybe your death opened the door to something more. This robin may be telling us that things are turning out for the better. That _you_ are finally realizing that there's still a chance for you to become who you are meant to be."

* * *

 **I know some of you may have been expecting something different, but there's a reason I went the route that I did. I chose a robin because of the development Damian had gone through since leaving Ra's and Talia. While he may be arrogant/proud he has changed and as a character has kind of grown (some people may disagree). The robin is a symbol of spring, which is known for being a time of rebirth/new beginnings. The reason I went with the wrist was because of the fact that Damian has been known to use his hands pretty lethally, and the placing felt right (plus had I done the hand, it would have copied the placing of Alfred's).**


	8. Legacy

**Here we are with the final chapter. I know I may have not included the entire Batfamily (i.e. Duke Thomas and Kathrine Kane), but I did get a good portion of them. This story does conclude with Dick and as always I'd like to thank everyone who's read as well as followed, favorited, and/or reviewed this story.**

* * *

Dick had almost completely disappeared in the wake of Damian's tattoo. It may not have occurred immediately, but it was still a progressively odd occurrence. It started with him becoming a little more withdrawn, not interacting as much as he used to. Then came withdrawing his appearance. With each passing day, Dick became less and less visible until it got to the point he could only be seen getting meals.

It was disheartening to say the least. While he seemed happy that Damian had received his tattoo, Dick's actions spoke volumes. Damian and Bruce were concerned, even when Dick denied anything being wrong.

His silence only seemed to worsen by the day. He had even started to refuse to acknowledge anyone who came to his bedroom door. They never entered the room hoping he would come out, but to no avail.

It got to the point where Bruce knew he had to intervene. Damian readily volunteered to talk with Dick, wanting to help, but Bruce knew it would be better if he talked to Dick instead. It may have been an inconvenient annoyance to Damian, but he wasn't about to argue his father's decision.

It didn't take long for Bruce to reach Dick's room. Thankfully, the door appeared unlocked. This lead Bruce to assume that Dick was simply abusing the privacy everyone was giving him, and saw no point in locking it. Quietly opening the door, Bruce would enter the room. He found Dick sitting on the windowsill, observing the world on the other side.

"What's going on?" Bruce greeted, closing the door behind him.

Dick didn't respond, keeping his gaze out the window. It was almost as though he hadn't heard Bruce.

"We're worried about you."

Dick still refused to say anything. Bruce closed the gap between them, leaving a comfortably sized gap between them as a precaution.

"Come on Dick, talk to me."

"What am I doing wrong?" Dick whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"We've all gone through so much, but I'm still the odd man out."

A mix of irritation and understanding flooded Bruce's mind. He couldn't believe that Dick was dwelling on it with everything that's gone on recently. At the same time he could understand the sentiment having witnessed Damian getting his.

"Really? You're really…"

"I know I shouldn't let this get to me." Dick admitted. "Not now. I should be happy for him. He's alive and finally got his, but I can't help but feel cheated. I hate hiding from you guys, but I don't want to face him while I'm like this."

The fact that Dick had no ill will towards Damian was good. Bruce could tell that he really felt bad for secluding himself, but understood the need to do so. The last thing either of them would have wanted was to upset what should be a joyous situation.

However, that didn't help clear up Dick's decision much. It explained why he chose to hide away, but not a reason as to why he decided to do so in the first place. There were several reactions that Bruce could think of, but not a single one was certain without conformation.

"Are you jealous?" Bruce asked.

Dick stood up, slightly offended.

"No! I'm glad that he got it. He deserves to get his. Why should I be jealous?"

"Because you don't have yours and the fact that you witnessed Damian get his."

"That may be, but he doesn't deserve to wait any longer. The last thing I want is for him to end up like me."

"Then why is this so important?"

"I want answers Bruce. I am tired of being left in the dark."

Dick dropped back down on the windowsill, his hands holding his head up.

"What's wrong with me?"

"There's nothing wrong with you."

"You always say that. For years, I've believed those words, hoping that my time would come one day. However, these days, I'm not so sure. There has to be a reason that mine hasn't showed up yet. Did I do something wrong? Did I miss something? What do I need to do in order for mine to show up?"

Dick let out a defeated sigh. Bruce finally decided to take a seat beside Dick.

"I feel like I've done something wrong. Like I've been doing something wrong since I was eight."

Bruce sighed. He knew he should say something. Whether it be comforting or somewhat realistic, he just knew he had to say something to handle the issue for a little while.

"You haven't done anything wrong. Have you considered that maybe you're not meant to have one?"

"I know I'm supposed to have one."

"You don't regret me taking you in, do you?"

Dick shot a disturbed glare at Bruce. He was alarmed by the question, not entirely sure why he asked that.

"Of course not. I'm thankful for everything you've done for me, you're a father to me and I love you for it."

"You just said you feel like you've done something wrong since you were eight, which is when I took you in. I had to ask."

Dick's sight fell back to his lap. Guilt rocked him at his inconsiderate wording of the statement in question.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's true, I've grown more concerned for it as of late, but it's because I don't know if I've taken a misstep since my parents death."

"Like?"

"You and I both know where I would be had my parents not died. Would it have activated had I gone down that road?"

"I don't know. Even if that were the case, what does that say about how your life ultimately played out? Could it have possibly shown up the year you would have joined?"

"That's just it. I don't know, but it is worth speculate."

The room went silent. Neither one say knowing what they should say next. Unfortunately, any semblance of what to do next wouldn't be able to surface.

A scream of pain lashed out as Dick hunched over. His hands wrapped around his torso, trying to touch his back. Bruce instantly kneeled beside him, shocked by the cry of pain.

"What's wrong?" Bruce anxiously gasped.

"My back." Dick hissed. "It burns."

Bruce was about to place a hand on his back when Dick unconsciously twitched away from his hand. Another gasp of pain got away from Dick as his hands traced down his sides. Bruce needed to see what was going on, and Dick was in no state to talk him through it.

"I'm going to need you to get this shirt off Dick." Bruce ordered. "I need to see what's going on, and since you don't want me to do it, you'll have to.

Dick didn't respond, but Bruce knew he heard him when Dick started to slowly remove his shirt. It took a few moments before the shirt was crumbled up in Dick's fist. Dick continued to remain silent, as Bruce got a look at the area. His eyes widened in shock as he saw just what was going on.

A set of wing were burning its way down Dick's back. Snow white bleed within the confines of the wings and grey specs added decal to them. It would complete its course and Dick released a sigh of relief. Bruce, however, was astounded by the sight.

"What's going on?" Dick gasped.

Bruce didn't immediately respond.

"Bruce! What's going on?"

"Looks like you got your wish." Bruce bluntly admitted, sitting down beside Dick.

"What do you mean?"

"Owl wings. Snowy owl wings to be exact, plastered on your back."

Dick's eyes widened, as he instantly sat up. His sight fell on Bruce.

"What?!"

"You heard me."

Dick was at a loss. He wasn't sure what to think. Quite frankly, he wasn't expecting that to be his tattoo. Because of that, Dick wasn't sure if he should be happy, or frightened given the pain it gave him.

"What does it mean?"

"I don't know." Bruce sighed. "Wisdom, mystery, a bad omen. Your dark lineage. It could be a number of things."

An anxious feeling swelled in Dick's throat.

"Let's just relax. For now, let's just let this sink in. We won't worry about the how and why today. We're going to get you out of this room and get you interacting with the household. Damian wants to see you and I think he'd like to hear that you finally got yours."

"What am I supposed to tell him?"

"Just that you got it. We'll figure out its symbolism later."

Dick nodded, willing to go with that.

"Okay."

Bruce would be the first to get up, offering Dick a hand. Dick would take it allowing Bruce to help him up. Dick would place his shirt back out before following Bruce out.

His tattoo finally arrived, and even with so many questions, he did feel a sense of closure for finally getting it. He knew he might not like the outcome of its representation, but he knew he would have to live with it.

* * *

 **Now the reason I chose this was to play with Dick having owl wings was because of his connection to the Court of Owls. Now originally, I was going to have it where he got his immediately after Damian (as in the chapter would have picked up right after Damian's and DIck would have gotten it that day). However, because of the fact that he would have gotten it after having a pretty jealous reaction (feeling that he should have gotten a robin, I decided to approach it differently. I thought it would be a little out of character for him to react that way, especially since I had Damian's show up after his death and revival. Some other symbols for owls include mystery (which could explain it's prolonged exposure), ancient knowledge(which again would hit the Court of Owls aspect as well as Dick knowledge of some stuff), bad omens (which could relate to how Dick has had some bad luck over the years), and secrets. Now one thing I found, relating to white owls, is that they could represent a desire for wisdom or unfettered knowledge. Something that you want to know or will soon learn. This I feel also fits DIck wanting to know why he didn't have his.**

 **The reason for the back and just owl wings is because I had the picture of it almost referencing angel wings, which I feel would fit how he could be a light for Bruce.**


End file.
